How the Vic Fangio News Affects Broncos' Path to Sean Payton
Former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio has signaled a clear intention to end his one-year sabbatical from the NFL by interviewing with the Carolina Panthers.
Standing on its own, that wouldn't send that much of a ripple through Broncos Country, but Fangio is rumored to be Sean Payton's hand-picked choice to be his next defensive coordinator.
Most head coaches come complete with their own staff of assistants, and Fangio's ability to put together a strong defensive unit makes him an extremely attractive puzzle piece. It's possible that after requesting permission from the New Orleans Saints to talk to Payton, bringing in the veteran Fangio so promptly for a visit is designed to show just how serious they are about luring him to Carolina.
Four teams in total have now declared an interest in Payton, and the Broncos should certainly be worried to an extent because the Panthers have plenty of draft capital with which to compensate the Saints. Panthers owner David Tepper is also a multi-billionaire who's more than capable of footing the $20 million per year contract that Payton could purportedly command.
Attempting to predict Payton's current mindset is futile at this juncture, no matter how many column inches it might fill. One advantage the Broncos have is the fact they have a veteran quarterback — Russell Wilson — already in place. Payton would undoubtedly back himself to tweak the offense to suit Wilson's skill set, with the open remit to build on the signs of recovery he showed towards the end of the season.
What it all really boils down to Payton's comfort level with a franchise prior to making his final decision. How serious and well-positioned a team is to make a bonafide championship run could be the deciding factor.
Payton is rumored to have been convinced that the Broncos have the kind of stability of ownership that he really expects and demands. Competition for Payton's services was to be expected, so CEO Greg Penner and the Broncos hiring brain trust won’t be overly disheartened or surprised at recent developments in Carolina.
Should Fangio come back to haunt the Broncos, they might point to in-house defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero as a viable Plan B for Payton to work with instead. Alternatively, the Broncos will continue to pursue Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, their other gold standard candidate, who is already in a neck-and-neck race for the top job alongside Payton.
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